


The Gift of Magic

by diamond_dusted



Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Heavy Angst, Inhuman Elsa, Magic, Post-Canon, Shamanism, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:08:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21817924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamond_dusted/pseuds/diamond_dusted
Summary: Despite all she's been through, Elsa has yet to really understand anything about magic, herself, and her purpose in the world. While adjusting to a very different life outside the familiar (yet confining) walls of Arendelle, her journey will take her inward as Elsa learns from those who have walked with the spirits longer than she has lived. As with any foray into the unknown, there will be consequences one simply cannot prepare for.
Relationships: Elsa & Honeymaren (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Comments: 91
Kudos: 219





	1. Northbound

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look, another epilogue fic! There were way too many loose threads after the events of F2 that needed to be addressed, so I've decided to take a shot at it. Elsa has a wealth of personal issues that a new dress and a pony won't instantly fix, so she's finally going to be putting in the work.
> 
> Personal growth, gals being pals, and a generous helping of delicately-crafted angst will be delivered in due time. If this is your jam, come grab a seat by the fire with me and make yourself comfortable.
> 
> (Also, I'm new to this fandom, so if you've got editing experience and would be interested in being a beta reader for future chapters then hit me up.)

When Elsa chose to leave Arendelle and move to the north, the weight of her decision had yet to settle upon her fully. Even as she packed up a modest amount of personal belongings and keepsakes, said at least two goodbyes to a very tearful Anna at the castle gates, and wove her way through the mountain passes that led to the Enchanted Forest--she didn't allow room among her thoughts for doubts or second-guessing. Still running on instinct, Elsa felt as though she was finally moving towards a future that promised something better for her. She stopped along the way when she reached the overlook where the North Mountain was visible, calmly gazing upon the ice castle that glittered there in the late afternoon sun. Elsa smiled to herself: an echo of the same pride and confidence that swelled in her chest when she stood there and raised the castle on that long-ago night. A memory of pure freedom. She nodded, resolving to seek more of the same.

The Northuldra greeted her warmly when she arrived at their village at sundown two days later. The whole tribe stood there singing a welcoming chant as she drew closer, and the apprehension that made her tense up at being the center of attention soon faded as Yelana, Honeymaren, and Ryder stepped forward to greet her. Sighing in relief at not having to make some kind of speech or engage in formalities she hadn't the faintest clue about, she settled for thanking them instead.

"That was... very kind of you," Elsa said sheepishly as she brushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear that a mischievous breeze had ruffled on her way in, "Really, you didn't have to go through such trouble for me."

"We may not stand on ceremony the way you're used to in the Kingdom, but when a traveler arrives it is only proper to honor the occasion," Yelana said, bowing her head ever so slightly, "Come now, you must be tired and hungry. Let's get you some food."

Elsa opened her mouth to protest, but before she could the siblings looped their arms through hers and pulled her along toward the roaring bonfire at the center of the small village. Honeymaren leaned over and whispered eagerly to her:

"I know you probably didn’t understand any of it, but that was a song for family."

"Really? Is--is that okay?" Elsa said as she caught the sly grin Honeymaren flashed in the flicker of the firelight.

"I may have had to twist a few arms, but I reminded them who you are."

Ryder cut in, "Hah, more like she stood up on a rock while the elders were arguing and yelled at them about not dishonoring the fifth sp--"

And he was just as quickly cut off as Honeymaren mashed a hand in his face, prompting Elsa to giggle as the two began an all-too-familiar sibling squabble. It calmed the rest of her nerves as they approached the fire and sat down to eat. Bowls of warm stew were passed around as everyone chatted about this and that, while Elsa found she was barely able to keep up with most of the lively conversation since it was a mishmash of Northuldran and Norwegian. From what she could gather, they were discussing anything and everything from hunting, reindeer grazing, food preparation, to winter migration plans. Rather than acknowledge that she might already be out of her depth here, Elsa cleared her throat and turned to Yelana.

"So, I had some time on my way here to think about what it is I'm going to do, and I wanted to ask you--"

"Ohoh!" Yelana chuckled, holding up a hand, "If you're going to ask me about what your role as a spirit is..."

The wise-looking woman leaned forward and motioned Elsa closer, then spoke gravely: "I have absolutely no idea."

Elsa blinked, somewhat taken aback, then stifled a laugh and composed herself enough to make the proposal she'd rehearsed on the long walk to the forest.

"That's fine. What I decided is that I should probably just start out by doing normal things... here," she smoothed her hands across the wrinkles in her coat draped across her lap, glancing at the fire and the rest of the group gathered around it, "You all live closer to nature than I ever have. I think learning from you and seeking that connection is the best place to begin. Is that alright?"

"Hmmm, I see." Yelana gave a thoughtful nod, rubbing her chin and following Elsa's gaze carefully. "What of Ahtohallan, though? Why not seek guidance there first?"

A flurry of mixed emotions stirred within her as Elsa recalled the cavern deep in the glacier across the sea. Since her first visit, she had thought of returning there to learn more about magic, but the memory of its umbral depths and the most piercing cold she’d ever felt still haunted her. It made her shiver involuntarily.

"No... not yet." Elsa slowly balled her fists and suppressed a grimace, "I don't think I'm ready to go back there so soon."

_Anna isn't here to save me and I wouldn't risk it without knowing more than I do now._

"If that is what you wish, then we will start by showing you the ways," Yelana said, reaching over to pick up a stick to prod at a log that had split and tumbled over the edge of the fire pit, "Honeymaren is quite talented, and she seems fond of you. How about you work with her tomorrow?"

Elsa caught a twinkle in the old woman's eye and tilted her head questioningly in response, but pressed no further once the moment passed in silence.

"Yes. I'd like that," she said quietly.

Eventually, the fire and conversation died down for the evening. People went their separate ways to turn in for the night as darkness set in fully. Elsa lingered there by the glowing embers and stayed up late, gazing at the stars above. They looked clearer and brighter up here than she had ever seen them. 

Thoughts of infinite possibility like the seemingly limitless lights flickering in the night filled her mind as she leaned against her rucksack and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Harmonizing

Elsa awoke the next morning to sunlight, a cool breeze, and something gently poking at her cheek. She stretched and twisted her head away, muttering sleepily:

"Anna, cut it out... I'm awake, I'm awake."

The small gasp she got in reply was decidedly not her sister's. Elsa slowly opened one eye and saw Honeymaren crouched less than a foot away, the hand that had delivered the poke still suspended midair near her cheek. For a moment the other woman looked fascinated, but drew back and glanced away once Elsa met her gaze and sat up.

"You look like you slept well," Honeymaren said as she rested her hands on her knees, staying at Elsa's level. "Were you out here all night?"

Elsa nodded, brushing some loose hair back and reaching up to fix her ponytail that had come loose. "I drifted off before realizing I forgot to ask where I should sleep. It was nice though, the stars kept me company."

Honeymaren smiled knowingly, glancing at the clear fall sky above for a moment before she pushed off and rose from the ground.

"I've done the same thing plenty of times ever since the mist was lifted. They're so beautiful," she said wistfully.

Elsa felt a sudden pang of sadness as she remembered that this was a woman who had only seen stars--let alone the sky--for the first time in her life a couple months ago. Just one more item on the lengthy list of wrongs she couldn't erase from history. Honeymaren didn't seem as concerned, or didn't show it if she was, and quickly shifted into a higher gear. She reached around and unhooked a small leather satchel from her belt, tossing it into Elsa's lap.

"Breakfast's in there. We've gotta get moving soon, so meet me over by the edge of that clearing in a few minutes," she said, jerking her head somewhere in the general direction of 'left' and took a few steps back before pivoting and breaking into a run.

Elsa blinked absently for a moment then called after her, "What are we doing?"

"Trees!" Honeymaren yelled back over her shoulder just before disappearing among the tent-like wooden _goahti_.

"Okay then," Elsa muttered to herself, standing up and brushing off a few leaves that were stuck to the front of her wool overcoat. She decided not to bother with trying to change out of her travel-clothes; they were comfortable enough. 

Looping the pouch around to attach it to her own belt, she reached in and pulled out a few pieces of jerky and a rich, brown flatbread that was still a little warm. Elsa bit down on the bread, holding it between her teeth as she started digging through her own rucksack. After a few moments she managed to dislodge a little leatherbound notebook with a pencil tucked in its spine, slipped it into the satchel, and then set off.

* * *

Honeymaren came striding up the path to the edge of the woods with two large, woven cylindrical baskets--one over each shoulder--and a well-worn leather toolbelt slung across her chest like a bandolier. Elsa, who waited at the treeline expectantly with her hands clasped at her waist, had managed to chew through the rest of her ‘breakfast’ shortly beforehand.

"Come on," Honeymaren said as she dropped one of the baskets at Elsa's feet, not pausing when she walked past, "It's a bit of a hike so let's get going."

Elsa scrambled to pick up the basket and loop her arms through the leather shoulder straps on it before jogging a little to catch up with Honeymaren.

"Might I ask what we're doing with trees?" Elsa asked tentatively once she'd closed the gap, "Or is that on a need-to-know basis?"

"A what? Oh, no. We're going out to gather bark. Now is the best time to do it because we'll need lots to stock up on before winter. I found a good spot where I know we can get a whole bunch."

Elsa nodded and decided to save her questions for later--she was already having trouble keeping up with the pace Honeymaren was setting and she knew she'd be out of breath soon if she kept talking. The sounds of the forest and the gentle crunch of leaves beneath their feet filled the silence as they made their way deeper into the woods.

* * *

They couldn't have traveled further than a kilometer or two, but by the time Honeymaren stopped and gestured that they'd arrived at the right spot, Elsa immediately slumped down against a tree trunk and was panting a lot more than she felt she ought to be. Honeymaren cocked an eyebrow at her, then turned and shouldered off her basket and the toolbelt before kneeling down next to the long trunk of a nearby fallen birch tree.

Once Elsa figured she could manage to say things without huffing or sputtering, she scooted over next to Honeymaren to see what she was doing. She watched as Honeymaren quickly ran a blade along the length of the trunk in front of her, then pulled out a short chisel and a flat, half-moon-shaped piece of polished bone with a beveled edge. She tapped the chisel into the seam a few times, then used it to wedge the other tool into the gap and start slowly peeling the bark away from the tree, her brow knitted in concentration as she worked.

Elsa sat there quietly for a minute until worry got the better of her and she spoke up:  
"Have I done something wrong already?" she asked hesitantly, "You seem kind of..."

"Hmm?" Honeymaren paused, as if she were snapping out of a trance and looked over at Elsa, "Ah! I'm so sorry. You probably thought I was annoyed. That's not it at all."

She set her tools down and put a hand on Elsa's shoulder, continuing in a softer tone. "It's just... this stuff can take a long time to gather. Like, it can be an all-day thing if you're not mindful. Truthfully, it's not exactly my favorite thing to do either--it can get a little tedious after a while, but Yelana told me you wanted to be taught how to do everyday things and I guess I got kind of excited? If that makes sense."

"It does, " Elsa said with a small sigh of relief, "Thank you."

Honeymaren smiled and nodded in approval, then picked up the tools and got back to working the bark. Elsa watched intently, then patted at the pouch on her belt and pulled out the journal without taking her eyes off Honeymaren's hands. 

"So we're gathering the bark," she said, flipping open to a fresh page and sliding the pencil free so she could start taking notes, "But what is it for?"

"Lots of things! We mainly make it into containers for storing food and water though. It's really good for that--keeps the mice from getting into it easily."

Elsa nodded studiously, beginning to jot a few things down. As she did, Honeymaren glanced over again and then giggled. "What're you doing? You don't need that right now."

"But I--" Elsa began to protest, but Honeymaren deftly snatched the notebook from her grasp and replaced it with the tools she'd been holding just a moment before. 

_How is she so fast? This is ridiculous._

She grabbed Elsa's hands and pushed them down towards the trunk of the tree, then guided her so that the tools were facing the right way. In the crisp fall air, Honeymaren's skin felt comfortably warm against hers and it sent a tingle running up both her arms.

"So you get it started with the chisel and then wedge the other one in to kind of separate it," she said patiently as she pantomimed the motions she was making earlier, "You don't want to push too hard or work too fast, otherwise the bark will tear and that piece becomes useless."

"O-okay," Elsa swallowed nervously and tried to ignore the voice in her head that was now repeatedly telling her not to mess this up. She followed the same motions and managed to ease a small segment of the bark free from the trunk.

"There you go! See, not too bad, huh? Just keep doing that spot and I'll start over here," Honeymaren said as she reached over and produced an identical set of tools for herself.

They both fell into a steady rhythm, with Elsa casting the occasional furtive glance over to watch what Honeymaren was doing and adjusting her movements to match. She still felt sloppy and clumsy in comparison, but as they worked diligently she found herself settling into a calm and focused state, beginning to hum softly to herself. This time it was Honeymaren who broke the silence:  
"If it's none of my business, you don't have to say anything, but what made you want to come do something mundane like this?" she asked in a way that was conversational but failed to hide some of her apprehension, "I mean, why not go see the other spirits and consult them about whatever you're looking for?"

Elsa knew this was probably coming, and she was glad she wasn't being put on the spot in front of the rest of the Northuldra just yet. Having spent three years on the throne at Arendelle, she was overly-attuned to the nuance of delicate political situations and the importance of first impressions. What would it have said if she'd rode into the village on a horse made of water, decked out in her full icy regalia, then immediately run off to spend time with the other elementals? She could think of no faster way to completely alienate herself.

But she knew explaining all that would also be poor form.

"I don't know what I'm looking for yet, that's the thing. I could ask the other spirits, but they wouldn't be able to tell me." Elsa shook her head and gave a quick, mirthless laugh, "You're right, I probably won't find any answers in the bark of a tree, but that's okay. I just want to help where I can."

There it was again, that same exact look Honeymaren had given her this morning. What was it? Surprise? Awe? Reverence? Elsa couldn't puzzle it out before it vanished again and a soft smile took its place.

"Although," Elsa added with a hasty swirl of one hand that sent small burst of magic into the air that resolved into a puff of snow, "If you happen to know of any ancient manuals for _this_ kind of thing lying around, that might save me a lot of time."

Honeymaren laughed as a dusting of snowflakes landed atop her head, "Can't say that I do, but I'll put in a good word and ask around."

The hours flew by as they continued to chat amiably while long, robust sheets of bark began to fill up the baskets they'd brought along. Elsa's hands grew stiff and kept cramping up the longer they worked, making her pause several times and nearly lose her patience. She thought of puzzling out a way to use her powers to detach all the bark at once, but decided to stick it out. In a castle full of servants and staff, she'd had very little opportunity to work with her hands like this for most of her life, so even though it was a bit tedious and frustrating just like Honeymaren had said, she found herself enjoying the calm and almost-meditative feeling of it.

Rather than joking or teasing about Elsa's novice struggles, Honeymaren began to sing. It was lively and upbeat, with a rhythm that synchronized to the movement of her hands. She lifted her chin up at Elsa, gesturing her to join in once she came back to the beginning of the verse. The words were decidedly foreign on Elsa's tongue, and she understood nothing, but she loved the melody and found herself catching on quickly.

She lost track of time as they sang together, shifting from tree to tree, and before she realized it they'd run out of room in the baskets. Elsa looked up at the sky in a daze as the familiar amber tones of sunset light filtered through the trees. Honeymaren was already putting their tools away and gathering up a few smaller pieces to toss in with the rest.

"Not bad!" she said while giving the basket an approving pat, "This should do quite well, I think."

Elsa nodded and stood up, wobbling slightly as the exhaustion finally caught up with her. She could already feel all the places that were going to ache, and her head swam from getting up too quickly. Her arms shook involuntarily when she pulled the basket straps over her shoulders.

"We can take it easy on the way back," Honeymaren said, much to Elsa's relief, "and we'll still get there easily before sundown."

The walk back to the village was short and dreamlike this time, seeming to go by twice as quickly as it had before. Elsa tried to piece together what it was she'd come to understand today. She'd forgotten about her notes completely when she got absorbed in what they'd been doing, and mentally kicked herself to remember to write it all down before the day was through.

As they walked into the center of the village, there were already droves of Northuldra returning from the day's tasks to gather there. Several of them had baskets like the ones Elsa and Honeymaren brought--some filled with greens and berries, others with birch bark like theirs. When Honeymaren called out to the rest, it drew excited chatter and comments from the crowd about their haul. Compliments on how much they'd managed to gather. Elsa set her basket down and shied away at first, but Honeymaren pulled her over and launched into bragging to the group about how fast Elsa had caught on.

As she did, Elsa felt a small tug in her chest, as if there was a string tied somewhere behind her ribcage and it was being pulled on. She only noticed it for a brief instant before it faded into the buzz of the rest of the fatigue that had set in.

_Whatever it was, I can worry about it later._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you had told me last week that I'd be writing fanfic about harvesting birch bark, I'd call you a liar. What even is my life now?
> 
> Hope all you Elsamarens out there are enjoying this nonsense.


	3. Rotation

In the weeks that followed, Elsa threw herself fully into learning whatever she could from anyone who was willing to teach her, which turned out to be quite a lot of people as they were not only grateful to have an extra set of hands to help, but also someone who was actually eager about it. She had learned basketweaving using the bark they harvested, how to cook river trout in the tastiest way, a little bit of wood-carving, and even Yelana deigned to show her some of the basics of leatherworking (but Elsa pricked herself a few too many times with the needle and had to put that one aside for later). Every day was something new and interesting. Sometimes she would go deep into the woods, and others she would spend most of her time in the village working on projects there. 

Today was one such day, and she was arms-deep in a task that had quickly become a favorite of hers. Gathered in a circle around a large, dome-shaped earthen oven, the 'home team' for the day sat on woven mats with three great wooden bowls spread out in the center. People were taking turns sliding wood into the small door of the oven to feed the roaring fire within, heat radiating out and casting its warmth across the area where they sat. Leainna came with a container full of flour and dumped it into the large bowl in front of Elsa, nodding and turning back to fetch more. Elsa had her shirtsleeves rolled up and reached for the ladle leaning against the edge of another bowl filled to the brim with water, using the ladle to pull a generous amount of it to pour into the bowl and over the flour.

They were making bread this morning.

Everyone in the circle took turns pulling small pieces of the freshly-mixed dough and shaping them into either flatbread for the day or actual loaves for storage to eat throughout the week. Keeping the oven going took a lot of work and firewood, so they didn't do a large bake like this everyday. They had to work quickly and efficiently together to make sure all the dough was used at just the right stage. It made for an environment that was a little frenetic, which reminded her of the times she'd snuck down to the kitchens at Arendelle Castle and saw all of the staff bustling about, passing off raw ingredients and dishes in various states of assembly as part of a carefully coordinated dance that they all seemed to know their roles in. Elsa was handling mixing today--a task which had left her arms painfully stiff and sore the first few times she'd attempted it. The dough was heavy and wet, and it stuck messily to her hands if she moved too slowly or didn't keep dipping her hands in water every so often. She had to use gentle but firm movements to work out all the clumps of flour while also pulling and stretching the dough to strengthen it so it would bake right. Elsa loved how complex it was to turn simple things like flour, water, and a little salt into warm, delicious, and nourishing bread.

"How are we doing?" Aidna asked as she walked past, leaning over and putting a hand on Elsa’s shoulder.

"Almost finished with this batch," Elsa said, pausing to lift her forearm and wipe a bit of sweat from her brow. She wasn't sitting that close to the oven, but the radiant heat combined with the effort it took to manipulate the large blob of dough got her to a little. Bruni, however, sat comfortably atop the oven, looking almost regal and smiling benevolently down upon those who entered his domain while he kept the temperature just right.

"Set some extra aside for later," Seará called over at her, "Isá told me said they're bringing more blackberries today. I wanna make a couple of pies and use those as filling!"

"You just want to give them to Dánel so you have an excuse to cozy up to him later," Aidna said, nudging the younger girl with her shoulder as she sat back down.

"I... N-no I don't! Shut up!" Seará stammered as her cheeks flushed red and the group all burst out laughing.

Elsa chuckled too and glanced over at Honeymaren, who was on one of the mats stretching out dough and flattening it, then using her fingers to press a few flower-shaped patterns into the center. Maren met her gaze and Elsa held up dough-covered hands, wiggling her fingers proudly, which made the other woman giggle. Elsa didn't usually join in the chit-chat and gossip of the rest of the group herself, but she had grown to like the lively atmosphere and rambunctious energy that usually manifested in the baking circle. Anna would have been in her element here.

Just below her, she saw a hand sliding across the edge of the bowl, and narrowed her eyes before she quickly reached down and batted it away softly.

"No luck this time," she said.

"Ow! Totally would’ve had it." Ryder hissed from behind her, shaking his hand and playing up the injury. "So close..."

"You're such a brat, Ry!" Honeymaren called, breaking off a small piece of dough from the ball she held and lobbed it at her brother, who moved deftly and managed to catch it in his mouth instead of letting it hit him. Honeymaren rolled her eyes, "Trying to sneak dough from the bowl like you're seven? Auntie Taljah would string you up by your toes if she were here to catch you."

"You stole just as many times as I did back then. Don't even pretend!" Ryder said, crossing his arms and turning his head aside with indignance.

Honeymaren stuck her tongue out at him, then dropped the attitude and went back to work, "Did you need something or are you just here to get in the way and embarrass yourself?"

"Actually, as it so happens, I came to see Elsa. We're taking the reindeer out to a different grazing spot today and also there's this new herding pattern I came up with but we need an extra pers--uhhhhhh..."

Elsa glanced over her shoulder and gave Ryder a high-caliber glare that said this was a task not to be interrupted, gesturing an open palm at the bowl full of dough before her as if to say " _Do you mind_?"

"A--after you're finished here of course. Eh-heh." Ryder held his hands up placatingly and took a step back. "Can't interrupt the work, the dough is sacred and all that."

Elsa's expression melted into something a bit more neutral and she gave him a polite nod, "Then yes, I'd love to come along."

"Yesss! Just change into something comfortable for riding and come meet us by the herd when you're ready."

Elsa lifted a hand and waved without looking, already focused on finishing the dough and getting it to the right consistency. A few minutes later it was being divvied up amongst the group and she flopped back on the mat, giving her arms a chance to finally rest. Her thoughts strayed and she wondered if this was something her mother had done as well when she was young, whether she’d enjoyed it the way Elsa did, and what kinds of things she would have talked and laughed about with everyone. She found herself thinking about this more often when she worked, knowing that she was spending her time the same way Iduna had made her feel just a little bit closer to her memory and maybe to understanding the side of her mother she'd never gotten a chance to know.

After the rest of the bread was shaped and loaded into the oven, Elsa took her leave and headed back to her _goahti_. In her first days here, she'd conjured a small temporary hut for herself to sleep in because Gale had taken to blanketing her in a pile of leaves if she slept outside. As endearing as that was, it made getting up in the morning a more messy affair than she preferred. But once she'd been able to collect enough building materials, all the skilled craftspeople from the village gathered and helped her put together a comfy and spacious hut of her own. Elsa could have just as easily made something more permanent out of ice, but knew it would have looked completely jarring in contrast to the rest of the wooden structures. She'd had fun learning the building techniques and it made her feel welcome in a way she couldn't quite describe. Elsa may have built one place to call her own in the past, but this was different. Besides that, she could keep a fire lit in the hearth at the center of it for the little salamander spirit and not worry about the whole place melting like it would if it were ice, so that was good enough for her.

Elsa threw on a lighter coat and changed out of her dress into pants, pausing when she noticed more of the wear and tear they'd already taken while she’d been on long treks through the forest, carrying firewood, and gathering food. She'd probably need to replace them soon, and figured she should probably give leatherworking another try to make sturdier ones.

Elsa stepped outside while she finished buttoning up her coat, then nearly jumped right out of it when a voice to her right suddenly said:

"I'm walking you over there."

"Maren!" Elsa blurted, dumbstruck by how easily Honeymaren had blended in standing right outside the door without her noticing. It wasn’t always intentional; the woman was just stealthy in the practiced way of a warrior and hunter. But sometimes she did it on purpose because she liked getting a rise out of Elsa, despite the latter's protests. Elsa didn't startle as easily as she once used to, but her old worries about accidentally letting her powers slip loose still remained at the edge of her thoughts.

"You know what my dork brother is like about reindeer. He can talk the ears off anyone who'll listen when he gets on one of his tangents."

"And you think I'm not already used to it with Kristoff?" Elsa said, giving Honeymaren a knowing look as she slung a small satchel over her shoulder.

"Good point, but that boy doesn't know when to shut up unless someone reminds him. And you're way too polite to do it yourself so..." Maren shrugged to acknowledge her unspoken duty in this arena. Elsa giggled and the two set off towards the far end of the village. "Besides, I haven't been able to spend much time with the herd this week so I'm overdue for a visit."

They soon found Ryder and the herd of reindeer gathered in the nearby clearing, the reindeer milling about with a barely-concealed energy that said they knew it was time for a roam and they were eager to get on with it. Ryder waved, already perched atop his own and doing a warm-up trot. A few other villagers were mounted up as well, spread out through the herd as they got ready to depart.

Elsa waved back and took in the sight of them all, ever impressed at how well-behaved the group was for being allowed to roam free all the time. Like there was an unspoken bond or understanding between them and their caretakers. A small nudge against her hip drew her from her thoughts and she looked down to see a young reindeer standing there.

"Oh! Well hello again to you too," she said, kneeling down so she was at the same level and extending a hand which the calf quickly nuzzled into.

"Ávvu's happy to see you, looks like." Ryder said as he rolled backwards and dismounted, sticking the landing as though it was easier than walking.

"And growing quite a bit too! Look how big you're getting."

"I know you haven't ridden with the herd yet so first I thought I'd take you through some beginner riding techniques and mount-handling so that you're...OW! What the heck?"

Honeymaren had stepped over and swatted him on the shoulder, "Are you seriously trying to explain _riding_ to her? She knows what to do already."

It took a second for the gears to start turning but then Ryder got it: "Oh, right. Because of the... with the whole... uh. I guess a horse isn't that different, is it?"

Honeymaren facepalmed and Elsa pretended not to mind as she continued petting Ávvu.

Ryder rubbed the back of his neck and frowned in concern. "But seriously though, _is it_? I mean that thing's made of water so I really have no idea."

"I think I'll be alright, but I appreciate your thoughtfulness," Elsa said patiently, opting not to mention that she’d trained to ride real horses back in the Kingdom, "Where are we headed?"

"I'll tell you about it once we get going. C'mon, you can take Siivár today," Ryder put two fingers in his mouth and whistled in a staccato rhythm, to which an older reindeer with a gentle look in its eyes reacted and trotted over to stand at attention.

"Sorry kiddo," Elsa said to Ávvu with a few last pats between the antlers before she hopped up and swung herself onto Siivár's back, "Maybe next time." The calf gave a happy-sounding chuff in reply.

"Alright, I'm heading back to help with the fishing. Have a safe trip. Ryder? No lectures," Honeymaren said, shooting him a look before she turned to Elsa, "And you have my permission to dump a pile of snow on him if he starts doing the voices."

"Yeah yeah, no fun allowed, I got it." Ryder droned, then dug his heels in and veered around to start guiding the herd out pasture and called back, "Bye Maren!"

Elsa turned to wave and mouthed a silent thank-you to Honeymaren, who winked back at her. The rest of the reindeer began to move and soon the air was filled with the thunder of hooves as they headed to the edge of the forest. Once she'd caught up, he matched their pace and called over to her.

“Just follow our lead, stick to the sides and give them room. I’ll be guiding us most of the way out west.”

Elsa nodded and tightened her grip on Siivár's fur, concentrating on how they were moving in relation to the rest of the reindeer as they picked up speed. The landscape began to fly by as they wove and dipped through the low hills out west, kicking up dust and bits of grass that trailed in their wake. Riding a living creature, Elsa soon remembered, was quite different than sitting atop an elemental force of nature that mimicked one. She had to shift her weight constantly and adjust her own motions to match those of the reindeer so that she wouldn’t be jostled around uncomfortably. Once she found the rhythm, it was quite captivating. There was a fluid beauty to it all as the air rushed past them and the ground came alive with the sound of their hooves and the calls of the other riders. It felt so powerful, yet tranquil at the same time.

Before long, they’d slowed to a stop to let the reindeer catch their breath. They had come almost to the foothills of the nearby mountains, where it looked like the grass and plant life was still quite plentiful despite the change of season. Elsa looked up and watched as the clouds rolled by, splitting against the tall mountains and filling the sky with all different shapes and patterns.

Ryder cleared his throat and Elsa looked over to see he had sidled up next to her, looking out over the landscape as he spoke:

“You know, it used to be much harder for the herd. We’d struggled for a long time, since there were so few places for them to graze in the forest. But now, we have all this and more again. It’s… really great.”

The excitement and hopefulness in his voice was hard to miss. He must have been beyond happy to have the chance to finally let the reindeer roam like they used to, she figured.

“Do you know if this is where they used to come long ago?” Elsa asked.

“Here, and even further. I grew up hearing stories about how some of the families would ride for weeks and weeks out to fields and valleys far and wide.” He paused, looking downcast, “Half of our village had been on their way back from their trip before the mist fell, but they never made it in time. They were stuck out here, cut off, and had no idea why.”

The wind rustled the grass below as the clouds continued to drift by. Elsa chewed her lip for a moment and looked away, searching for the right words.

“Do you think they’re still out there?” she asked.

“After this long, who knows? They probably would’ve come back by now, but I can still hope that they might.” He gave her a lopsided grin and a shrug.

 _Which is why you want to take the herd out farther, in the hope that maybe you’ll find them_ , Elsa thought.

Before Elsa could say anything more, Ryder shook his head and turned away, setting his reindeer into motion with a “ _YAH!_ ” and heading to rejoin the herd. She watched him go, then turned to slowly scan the horizon one last time before following.

When they headed back to the village, the reindeer had gotten their fill of food and exercise. Elsa was exhausted and thanked Ryder for letting her come along before shuffling back to her hut and flopping down onto the pile of blankets and furs she’d assembled into a bed. She’d gotten used to ending the day sore and exhausted, which left little room for her mind to wander and fill with worries like it often used to as she’d lay awake in bed at night. Sleep came quickly and heavily to her now.

For the first time in a long while, Elsa dreamed. Fleeting images blurred into one another. Fragments of laughter and fire from the oven, the sound of hooves on the ground, the expanse of earth below. Then she was standing alone in a void, pure darkness. There was no sound and she couldn’t even hear her own voice when she tried to call out. It wasn’t frightening exactly, just empty. She looked all around but could see nothing except the endless black. 

Then she felt it again--that tugging feeling deep within her chest. The pull grew stronger and she started to see glowing traces of light forming in the distance. Small, thin lines bending and turning, fading in and out of existence. Their movement wasn’t random and soon more and more appeared from all directions, connecting, intersecting, and moving towards her. They felt alive, like they were humming with energy. Her heart was beating faster and faster and the lights had nearly reached her and…

Elsa awoke, back in her hut, panting as she sat up and took a moment to recognize her surroundings. She clenched her eyes shut and raked her fingers back through her hair, wondering whether she’d be able to even go back to sleep now.

She... could worry about it later, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my lovely beta-readers ([Samantha](https://www.instagram.com/skybeast1890/), [buttons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttons15/pseuds/spookyscaryskeletons)) who helped with this one, and especially to [Sage](https://soligenas.tumblr.com/) for naming the baby reindeer. 'Ávvu' means 'joy' in Sámi.
> 
> To any bakers reading this fic: don't @ me about yeast. This was already detailed enough and I didn't want to put people to sleep by explaining the leavening process. Source: I bake my own bread
> 
> Angst is coming in the next chapter, put on your big-kid pants.


	4. Satellite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ["Satellite" is a song by Above & Beyond](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuO8ATzB_1Q)

A cold wind from the north blew in later that week, and with it brought rain. Though some had no choice but to head out to face the weather in order to complete their daily tasks, Elsa had defaulted and excused herself by the afternoon. She had slept very little the past few days, and it was finally catching up with her. In an effort to offset it, she'd pushed herself to focus and work harder but she eventually reached the point where she was making too many careless mistakes, and so she retired to her hut where she sat silently beside the fire pit as the rain pattered rhythmically against the walls. 

She hung a kettle filled with water above the small fire she tended to, then waited for it to boil so she could make tea. A package of her favorite black tea was one of the only two things she'd brought with her that seemed to give her any comfort. The other was already draped across her shoulders: her mother's shawl. Anna had insisted she take it when she'd been preparing to leave and they'd nearly gotten into an argument over who should be the one to have it.

" _Elsa, I know you and you're going to need it more than I do,_ " her sister had said with a painfully gentle smile, " _Bring it back to where it belongs. It's what would make mom happiest, I think._ "

She took a deep, shuddering breath and pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders. Elsa was growing tired of Anna always somehow managing to be right, no matter what she did. Sighing deeply, she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head slowly.

As she did, a knock came at her door. Several knocks, quick and precise.

"I'm resting," she called without looking up from the fire, weariness and a hint of annoyance slipping through in her tone, "I can't come out right now."

In response, the door swung open and a figure stepped in hastily before it was nearly blown shut in their wake. Honeymaren stood there, wet enough to make a drowned cat seem like it was having a good day by comparison. Rivulets of rain slid down the full-length cloak she wore and dripped to the floor as she shifted the drawstring bag that she carried over one shoulder.

"You don't want to be out there right now anyway, take it from me." Honeymaren paused to take her cap off to shake it out, then put it back on a little lopsided without realizing. She carefully removed the heavily soaked cloak to hang it up on the wall so it wouldn't drip everywhere, "Sorry. I didn't want to have a conversation through a door. I can uh... go back out if I'm interrupting anything?"

Elsa blinked, then rubbed at the corner of one eye with the heel of her palm—a dissembling gesture to cover her embarrassment for being curt.

"Not at all," she said, the years of etiquette lessons coming back and allowing her to force a smile and affect poise with relative ease as she extended a hand invitingly, "Please, come join me. I'm making tea if you'd like some."

Honeymaren pulled off her boots and set them next to the door, then walked over and set the leather bag down next to Elsa. She lowered herself and sat cross-legged on the floor, exhaling in relief as she held her hands up to the fire to warm them.

"What were you doing out there?" Elsa asked vacantly as she adjusted the kettle. She was genuinely concerned, but wasn’t sure if she even sounded half as sincere as she felt she should have.

"The reindeer were a little unsettled by the storm, so I went over to help Ryder and the others with them. Wasn't easy today, but we managed." Maren cast a glance over at Elsa—the dark circles under her eyes were hard to miss and looked even deeper in the low light and shadows. "Figured there isn't much else worth doing out there now, so I brought something over for you."

With that, she untied the strings and eased the bag open, pulling out a partially assembled garment. It looked like a long coat without sleeves. The leather was a light grey-brown, and it was lined with fluffy white wool or something equally soft and warm. With it came a small bundle of sewing materials: thread, a variety of needles in different shapes and sizes, an awl, and a few other metal carving tools for leatherwork.

A number of excuses immediately jumped to the forefront of Elsa's thoughts as Maren started stacking everything neatly on the mat next to her. "That's kind of you, but I really shouldn't right now," she said holding up both of her hands and shying away, "I've made a mess of nearly everything I've touched today."

"That’s okay. I did most of the work on this already, so I brought it to finish up. You can just sit back and watch since—"

"Since I poked my hands full of holes the last time I tried?" Elsa asked dryly.

"Since you look like you really could use a break from everything,” Honeymaren spoke in a measured tone, “Elsa are you... are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Elsa waved a hand dismissively and went back to getting the cups of tea ready. "Just tired, I think."

She knew the lie was paper-thin, and didn’t even have to look at Honeymaren to see the skepticism on her face. After a moment of careful consideration, the other woman spoke:

"The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long." Honeymaren let her gaze drop as she began looping stitches through the leather at the shoulder-seam to attach the first of the sleeves she’d made.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Elsa tilted her head to one side, suddenly finding a spot on the floor to be interested in.

"It means you should pace yourself. That you're allowed to." Maren punctuated her sentence by glancing up to lock eyes with Elsa for a moment while she continued sewing, "Whatever you're meant to learn will come in time, you don't need to exhaust yourself trying."

Elsa’s shoulders arched up sharply, and she curled inward a bit, tugging at the shawl. As much as she didn’t want to really acknowledge it, she knew that Honeymaren was telling the truth. That she was right. 

"Maybe so,” Elsa said softly after a long beat of silence. The kettle came to a boil and she began pouring the water into the small earthenware mugs she’d set out. “Is there anything I can do for now though? I'd feel kind of useless just sitting here watching you."

Honeymaren paused to think for a moment, raising a hand to scratch her cheek. "Hmmm. You can tell me a story."

"A story?" Elsa echoed.

"Yes. Storytelling is tradition around here. It's how we pass along everything from our lives. I know hundreds already, but I don't think I've heard any of yours yet." Honeymaren raised an eyebrow at Elsa.

"I don't... have many?" Elsa said quietly, fidgeting with her hands. "I spent most of my life in Arendelle Castle before this. There wasn't exactly a whole lot to do there."

"Well, what _did_ you do then? Stare at the floor all day? Doesn’t sound like your thing.”

Elsa bit her lip before she answered. "I read books, mostly. Anything and everything from Arendelle's library. Then more, whatever books my parents would bring me. And when I'd read them all, then I read them again. But when I got bored of the stories in books, I started making up my own. For hours and days, I'd write. Stories about people I'd rather be. Far off places I wished I could go see. The kinds of friends I wished I had..."

Honeymaren watched mixed looks of frustration and sadness play across Elsa’s face as she spoke, as though she were looking into the past. "So tell me one of those, then!" she said without missing a beat.

"I... it's too embarrassing, most of them were silly." Elsa shook her head, trying to push away the memories.

"Come on, you must have something you can share. I refuse to believe you don't know at least one story worth telling."

Elsa gazed into the fire and lifted her cup of tea, blowing on it and sending a cloud of steam rising into the air before she carefully took a sip. Peace in warm liquid form, just as she remembered it. The calm it filled her with allowed for one memory in particular to surface.

She glanced sideways at Honeymaren and the corner of one lip curled as she smiled thinly. "Okay then, I do have one."

"I knew it," Honeymaren said as she scooted over and bumped her shoulder against Elsa's playfully, "Go ahead."

Elsa took a couple of breaths to collect herself and then she spoke, "Once upon a time there was a princess who was born with magical powers. But she was young and she couldn’t control them. She’d hurt someone she loved by accident, and it made her family afraid. The princess was even afraid of herself. So she was hidden away from the rest of the world until the day of her eighteenth birthday, the day she was to become queen.”

The fire crackled quietly as embers rose into the air, glowing and flitting around aimlessly before burning out. The sound of rain outside continued steadily, but it was more distant and muted now as Elsa’s words filled the hut. Their world seemed to have become much smaller, ending where the firelight touched the shadows.

"The whole kingdom came to celebrate, as well as many others from lands far and wide. It was a magnificent party, but she had never seen so many people in her life before that weren't kept on the other side of a window from her. She got scared that she’d lose control of her powers again, so she ran away deep, deep into the far mountains where there was nobody around for her to hurt anymore. Except maybe herself, but she wasn’t afraid of that."

Honeymaren’s movements had become slower and slower as she listened. Eventually, she stopped sewing entirely, her brow furrowed in confusion while Elsa continued to paint a vivid picture as she spoke.

"She’d left her old life behind and had nothing to lose now, so she took a chance and she practiced. The princess bent the magic to her will and saw that she could do incredible things with it. So she raised a magnificent castle for herself there on the mountainside, and filled it from wall to wall with the beauty that she had locked away for all those years. Her heart was no longer heavy and for the first time in her life she felt joy as she gave up trying to be what everyone expected her to be, and finally learned who she was really meant to be."

She turned and looked directly at Honeymaren, adding softly: "And from then on she lived happily ever after."

Maren stared at Elsa in wide-eyed disbelief, tears forming at their edges. "Oh, Elsa. That was... did that really happen to you?"

Elsa shrugged and gave her a wry smile, "The real stories are always a bit sadder than the ones we make up, I'm afraid."

"It doesn't have to be anymore, though?" Honeymaren leaned forward to give Elsa a searching look, "Not if you don't want it to. You’re free. You can have friends and do the things you used to write about." 

"Easier said than done. You could–"

"I could be your friend," Honeymaren said insistently, surprised at how firmly the words had come out, but continued anyway, "I mean... aren't I already?"

Elsa stared at the young woman who sat beside her. Since the first day Elsa had crossed through the mist and entered the forest, Honeymaren had been there to teach her, she realized. Without her, Elsa wouldn’t have learned her mother’s history. She thought back on all the time they'd already spent laughing, singing, and talking together. Elsa had been so focused on seeking out answers for herself that without even realizing it, she'd made her first friend. 

It had happened so easily and naturally that it shocked her.

"You're right," Elsa said hesitantly, "You are. And I'm grateful for that? For you, I mean."

Honeymaren opened her mouth as though she were about to speak, but seemed to waver and think better of it. She smiled warmly with her eyes, then shifted her attention back to finishing the other sleeve. She threw the last few stitches and then turned the coat inside-out to double check the seam, which held true despite several firm tugs.

"There we go, all finished." Maren declared as she rose from the floor, shaking the coat out and holding it up. "Stand up for me, would you?"

"What?" 

"Up, up, come on," Honeymaren said as she grabbed Elsa by the hand and pulled her to her feet. Before Elsa knew what was happening, her left arm was already in one sleeve and Maren was pulling the coat across her shoulders and gesturing for her put her right one through the other sleeve. When Elsa did, Honeymaren folded the coat closed around her and then reached over to grab a long sash from the bag before tying it snugly around Elsa's waist.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked, stepping back a bit to admire her handiwork.

"It's... this is for me?" Elsa said breathlessly, holding up her arms to look at them and then ran her hands down the front of the coat, the smooth and soft texture unlike anything she'd ever worn before. "It's lovely."

"I figured you’d like something new to wear for the festival next week. But, I think it's still missing a little something. Mind putting the final touches on it for me?" Honeymaren said with a wink.

Elsa smiled bashfully and then raised her hands, sweeping them down from her shoulders towards the floor, her hands alight with magic as she did. Turquoise snowflakes and diamonds grew and crystallized all along the borders of the coat, filling the blank canvas with subtle patterns and shimmering details. Honeymaren nodded approvingly, but then held up a finger and moved over by the fire to pick up the heirloom shawl that had slipped off when Elsa stood up.

In one smooth motion, Maren draped the shawl around Elsa's shoulders and stepped in closer, wrapping her arms around Elsa's waist and gently pulling her into a hug. Elsa went rigid for the briefest instant at the sudden contact but she quickly softened and returned the embrace, leaning into it as she savored the warmth and tenderness that enveloped her. 

"There," Honeymaren whispered into her ear and gave her a soft squeeze, "Now it's perfect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I bet you readers came here wondering what I was going to make you endure next. First treebark, then bread, what's next? Surprise, it was FEELINGS._
> 
> The coat that Honeymaren made for Elsa is [based on this artwork](https://my-diamond-dust.tumblr.com/post/189712068791/soligenas-whats-better-than-this-gals-being) by my lovely and talented friend.
> 
> As always, thank you to my beta-readers for your help with this one: Sage, Samantha, and Skye.


	5. Dance in the Golden Grass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you would like to come yell at me (or with me) about this chapter when you finish, do feel free.

* * *

Sooner than it seemed like, the day of the festival had arrived. Elsa was brimming with curiosity to see exactly what awaited. The various seasonal celebrations in Arendelle were still fond memories of hers, but they were always a bit too steeped in undertones of formality for her liking. This was going to be something different, something special. The afternoon sun hung low in the sky and cast an amber glow over everything. They were nearing the end of their preparations, but the air was already humming with excitement, like a buzz of anticipation that flowed through everything and everyone. Their movements were rushed, but not careless, like every step was filled with purpose.

Elsa flitted around here and there, helping wherever she could. Carrying things back and forth, arranging decorations, dodging children carrying armloads of wildflowers who left a trail of petals in their wake. She managed to find Ryder amidst the organized chaos and flag him down.

"Hey there,” she called over to him.

"Hey yourself. Busy day huh?” Ryder seemed more chipper than usual, if that was possible. He was carrying an armful of baskets over to the area where most of the food-prep was done. Elsa fell into step beside him, “Big day, really. I think you're gonna have a lot of fun."

"I hope so. But um..." Elsa leaned in and held up her hand to whisper, "What is it even about? Nobody's told me yet and I'm probably the only one who doesn't know."

"Oh! Hah, don't feel bad. It's like the oldest festival ever, so everyone here just kinda takes it for granted by now. Been having it for... I don't even know, hundreds of years?"

"Wow, so it's quite old then," Elsa said, thinking about the different festivals she’d attended in her life, "Is it for something specific? We celebrate the Winter Solstice in Arendelle, for example."

Ryder scratched his chin for a moment and narrowed his eyes, "It's um... gosh. Let me see... It's to honor a god or something, like a really ancient one."

"A god... or something?" Elsa scrunched up her nose. "You don't remember?"

"Hey! It's been a while, okay? My great aunt explained it to me like... once, when I was a kid."

Elsa laughed and Ryder gave a huff, then massaged his temples as he tried to recall. Elsa waited patiently while he grappled with the memory.

"There was a story," he muttered, narrowing his eyes, "Something about how we have to celebrate times of peace in the....OH!" He snapped his fingers. "That's it. The Goddess of Peace... _Miija_ ... darn what was it again? _Miija-ipmil_. We have the festival in her honor, because uh... if we don't then she'll return to walk the earth, find those who've disrespected her, and bring punishment upon them. And also she'll take away their entire herd of reindeer. It's serious business." 

Elsa folded her arms and gave Ryder a skeptical look. "So she gets mad... if you don't throw a huge party for her?"

"Yeah! Pretty neat huh?" Ryder said with a laugh, but then leaned closer and dropped his voice to a whisper, "But if you ask me I think it's just a big excuse to have a party anyway. I don't mind though, Maren and I have always loved it."

"Yes, I could tell she was kind of excited," Elsa said, adjusting her sash and straightening the hem of the gift she was now wearing.

"Oh that's right! That's the coat she made you, isn't it?" He leaned over to admire the style and patterns for a moment, "Yep, definitely her handiwork. It looks great on you!"

"Thank you. It's the most comfortable thing I've ever worn. I'm never taking it off."

 _It feels like I'm wearing a hug,_ she thought.

Ryder nodded and gave her a thumbs-up, then Elsa glanced around, "Where is your sister anyway? I feel like I haven't seen her all day."

"She went off with the group that’s bringing logs for the bonfire, they should be getting back before dusk," Ryder finished stacking up a few of the baskets he'd been leaning over, which were already filled to the brim with vegetables. "You'll definitely see her later, don't worry. Maren wouldn't miss this festival for anything. Here, can you help me carry these real quick?"

He separated the stack and handed a few to Elsa and then nodded over his shoulder for her to follow. They took one of the new trails that now led to the western edge of the forest, and stepped out into a vast meadow filled with knee-high wild grass that swayed gently in the breeze; the wind sent ripples over it like the surface of a golden lake against a backdrop of mountains lush with verdant evergreens.

"So what should I expect for this, um, festival of peace? Is there an agenda?"

"Not really? Just normal party stuff, I guess! Food, drink, singing, drums, and dancing around a huge fire."

Elsa thought it sounded a little wilder than the 'normal party stuff' she was used to, but she didn't say so and decided to just nod thoughtfully.

"We also make these little sweet cookie-balls for the kids using syrup from the maple trees. Maren and I used to have contests to see how many we could stuff in our mouth at the same time."

Elsa chuckled at the image of a young Ryder and Honeymaren competitively hoarding sweets. Some things never change, apparently.

They followed a narrow path to a clearing at the center of the field, which the Northuldra were still working on expanding, gathering up the grass and brush in baskets to use as kindling. In the middle of the clearing, a massive firepit nearly four meters across was being dug and ringed with a variety of stones. Yelana stood before it, evidently supervising, and turned to nod politely to Ryder and Elsa as they passed. They brought their baskets over to a semicircle of makeshift tables that had been set up opposite the firepit, then set them down amidst a growing pile of many others.

"Yelana looks... excited?" Elsa ventured, hoping she had read the elder woman's stoic look correctly.

"Hah, yeah she's pretty fired up about it alright. We were going to hold the festival back at the spot where we always used to, but she insisted we have it out here instead. Something about it being more... significant this time?"

Elsa's brow furrowed and she nodded, dropping her gaze. That made sense, if it really was a festival of peace like Ryder had said. She could see why Yelana would want to have it here beyond the old boundary of the mist, to celebrate their freedom after decades of isolation sparked by an incident that was anything but peaceful. The significance of it was hardly lost on Elsa. 

She spent the rest of the afternoon helping everyone arrange things in the clearing around the bonfire pit, occasionally shuttling back and forth between the village to help carry more things over: cups and bowls, baskets of flowers, more food, and some large clay jugs full of water or some other liquid. The sun finally dropped below the horizon and painted the clouds that filled the sky in shades of purple, pink, and orange. 

From the forest, the group that had gone to collect the logs finally emerged, two people at a time carrying a portion of a tree trunk over their shoulders, lumbering over to deposit them in the fire pit, arranging them one on top of the other. They formed a lattice that soon grew taller than the tallest person there. Ryder wasn't kidding, this was going to be huge. Elsa watched the treeline, hoping to see Honeymaren there with a segment of trunk upon her shoulder as well, but the last of the logs were dropped off and her friend was nowhere to be found. 

_The festival hasn’t even started yet, what are you fretting for_?

She shook her head and decided to stand next to Yelana, who had barely moved from where she'd been standing hours before. She was observing them lift the last of the logs into place and start putting kindling at the center of the diamond-shaped structure. Elsa thought about asking whether building such a fire large was safe, but then mentally kicked herself. The spirits would be in attendance, after all. Between the five of them, nothing would get out of hand.

She fell back on her training and settled for neutral small-talk:

"Things are coming together nicely, aren't they?"

"Mm." Yelana grunted, narrowing her eyes as if staring at some inscrutable detail in the arrangement of the logs.

"Uh..." Elsa faltered, not really what to follow up with. She wrung her hands in front of her waist.

"What could you possibly be nervous about?" Yelana asked abruptly, not even looking over at her.

"What?"

"You're nervous. I can tell." This time she did glance at Elsa, giving her a wry smile, "Don't worry. I'm not going to put you on the spot and make you say something in front of everybody, if that's what you're thinking. I know it isn't your sort of thing."

The thought hadn't even crossed Elsa's mind, but she already felt herself put at ease by Yelana's disarming honesty. It spoke volumes on how well she'd already come to know Elsa, who appreciated the simple respect the gesture showed.

"Thank you, I–"

"Tonight, we are the ones who must thank you." Yelana waved her off, then swept her hand out in front of her and gestured to the festival area and the beautiful landscape that surrounded it, "This festival wouldn't be happening out here if not for your deeds. So I will say this once: you have our gratitude for the peace you finally brought to this land. Also..."

She paused to lock eyes with Elsa again before continuing, "You should take pride in how much you've grown lately. I hope, at the very least, you'll allow yourself to accept that."

Elsa nodded solemnly, fighting back the urge to tear up and hug the woman beside her.

"So in light of everything," Yelana added, turning around like she meant to walk away, but then lightly prodded Elsa in the ribs, "Try to relax and have some fun, won't you? You've earned it."

"I'll try my best," Elsa said, folding her arms and clutching them together. As Yelana chuckled lightly to herself and walked off toward the village, Elsa looked around to see if there was anything else she could do. It seemed like everything was nearly ready, and just as she was about to walk back over to the tables to fuss over the layout of the food, she noticed everyone else around seemed to be leaving. Ryder soon passed by and waved at her to follow:

"Come on, we're going back to get ready."

"Isn't everyone coming here though?" she asked.

"Well, yeah. But not at first! There's the procession." He said gesturing back and forth with his hands, while Elsa tilted her head in confusion, "You'll see, just come."

Dusk had fallen by the time they reached the village; the shadows began to deepen as night set in more fully. All of the Northuldra were clustered in the center of the collection of _goahti_ , a hushed murmur spread through the group. The younger members of the group seemed especially energetic, whispering excitedly and giggling in the way that spoke of barely-concealed anticipation There were small bouquets of flowers being passed around, as well as a few torches. 

In the dim, scattered light it was hard to make out anyone else's faces. Elsa looked around, trying to find someone she recognized so she could ask what was happening, but wasn't left wondering much longer. Almost in answer to her thoughts a long, low note of a flute broke the silence, a contemplative but foreboding melody began to unfold. As it did the slow, steady beat of drums began to reverberate through the trees in the distance. Without speaking, the group began to untangle and started lining up one after the other. Elsa tried asking where she should should stand, but before she could there was already someone in front of her and behind.

Then they were moving.

The procession began, keeping a slow, deliberate pace as they moved silently through the forest, following in one another's footsteps, the beat of the drums setting their rhythm. Elsa reflexively stood up straighter and squared her shoulders, walking with poise and purpose. As they neared the edge of the forest, the drums grew louder, their percussive beats vibrating the night air, making it feel tangible. Solemn, but simultaneously invigorating in an unspeakable way. It was different than anything she'd ever experienced before, but she knew instantly what it meant. Ceremony.

Once they reached the treeline and moved out into the meadow towards the clearing where the unlit bonfire awaited, Elsa leaned over to look ahead and steal a quick glance at their destination. The group was scattering once they reached the clearing, spreading out and ringing the fire-pit. Yelana stood there waiting, four people on either side of her holding torches.

After a moment that seemed felt like it stretched the span of an hour, the last of the group filtered in behind her, then came to a halt and waited. When everyone was there, the beat of the drums abruptly stopped; the sudden absence of their sound was overpowering.

Then Yelana spoke, her voice calm as ever, but louder and bolder than usual:

" _Olemme kokoontuneet tänä päivänä juhlimaan rauhaa maailmassa.._."

Elsa's understanding of the Northuldra language was still limited, even though she had absorbed a fair amount of it secondhand, filling countless pages of her notebooks as she tried to assemble something close a functional level of knowledge. She only managed to catch bits and pieces, but it was enough for her to get the gist based on context.

" _Kuten kaikki tiedät, meillä on tänä vuonna vielä suurempi_ reason to show appreciation. Great wrong _virhe on_ past was righted, _ja voimme kävellä_ walk beneath the sun _alla ylpeänä_ our ancestors did _ennen meitä_."

Yelana finished, then lifted her hands and turned to the firepit, the four people who held the torches broke away and moved to different points around it, then knelt down to place them upon the pile of dried grass and kindling that lay within. Almost instantly, the flames caught and began to rise, and a roaring fire soon filled the space, lighting up the night and blanketing their surroundings in warmth.

Someone in the crowd hollered, sending up a cheer that was echoed by another. The drums kicked to life once more and soon the whole crowd had joined in, also coming alive as the energy they'd all been holding back burst free all at once. The sounds of laughter and music rang out as people sprung into motion: some hugging, throwing their arms around their friends and shaking one another, others clapping and breaking out into dance. The surge of activity was a bit much for Elsa, so she quietly slipped back to the edge of the crowd and made her way around to the tables where the food was. They were filled from edge to edge with delicious-smelling things: berries, cooked vegetables, steaming fillets of fish from the river, skewers of meat and onion that glistened with oil. 

Elsa felt her stomach growl as she realized she'd forgotten to eat all day while she was busying about. She glanced over each shoulder and then snatched up a bowl and began filling it to the brim with food, snacking as she went. Everything was rich and flavorful, sweet and savory. Elsa turned back towards the fire to watch the party unfold, chewing fervently and choking back a satisfied whimper as she relished the delicious feast, silently thankful she didn't have to pace herself or worry about eating too quickly. There were no nobles or diplomats here to judge. It was such a simple pleasure, but the edges of her eyes burned and she felt like she might cry.

A tap on her shoulder jolted Elsa out of her reverie, nearly dropping her bowl as she did. She turned and there, standing beside her, was Honeymaren.

Elsa barely recognized her friend, who wore a [long, ornate, dark-green dress](https://my-diamond-dust.tumblr.com/post/190164221791/soligenas-honeymaren-in-sami-inspired-clothes-as) with bright lines of orange, white, and pink along the cuffs and hemline of its frilled skirt. Draped comfortably across her shoulders and chest was a high-collared white shawl that tapered off into and intricate tasseled lace along its edges. She wore no hat, her braided hair fell over one shoulder and she gave Elsa a faint smile, her eyes catching a glint in the firelight.

"Hey there," she said, shifting where she stood, the skirt swishing lightly around her knees, hands clasped behind her back, "Having fun yet?"

Elsa was about to speak but realized her mouth was still full, she swallowed quickly and tried not to cough, forcing some semblance of composure:

"There you are! I was worried when I didn't see you come back with the others earlier..."

"Oh?" Honeymaren said, her lip curling up a bit further, "I slipped off before the procession to wash up and get changed. My usual clothes got pretty dirty today."

"This... it's... wow," Elsa murmured, taking in all the detail, colors, and the ornamental golden clasps that held the shawl around Maren’s shoulders, "How come I've never seen it?"

"We really only wear _gakti_ like this for special occasions now. These are my family's colors and designs. Not everyone wears them as much as they used to, or even choose to at all, but I like the tradition of it."

Elsa nodded, leaning in closer to try and soak up all the intricacies of the outfit, feeling both impressed and jealous. The vibrancy of it made the ones she'd conjured for herself seem dull and bland by comparison.

"I've got something to give you," Honeymaren said, making Elsa snap back into focus, "Close your eyes."

Elsa did what she was told and waited, then felt something settle upon her head softly as Honeymaren's fingertips brushed against her hair, then pulled away.

She opened her eyes and gave Honeymaren a curious look, then set her food down to reach up with both hands to gently touch whatever rested there just as a fragrant smell hit her nose. It was a crown of flowers.

"Oh..." she whispered, once it had clicked, "I can't see what they look like, but I'm sure they're lovely. Thank you."

Honeymaren smiled back, then looped her arm through Elsa's and pulled her along towards one of the other tables with her.

"Thirsty?" she asked, nodding at the bowl Elsa hastily scooped up before they went.

"You have no idea," Elsa murmured in agreement, pressing her hand to her sternum and sighing. She’d eaten quickly, and now she was parched.

"The best stuff always runs out quickly, so you should try some before it's gone."

They approached the table that had containers full of water, a steaming vessel of fragrant herbal tea, and several of the stoppered-jugs she'd helped carry over. Honeymaren reached for one of the jugs and filled two cups, passing one over to Elsa, who sniffed at it then took a tentative sip. The sweet flavor that filled her mouth caught her by surprise, since it was one she recognized.

"Ah! Delicious! You make mead up here too? Wow, it's been so long since I've had any. Where do you even get the honey for it, though?"

"Haven't you seen the rows of hives we have out east?" Honeymaren asked.

Elsa tilted her head. "You have beehives?” 

"Elsa..."

"Yes?"

"My parents are beekeepers," she said flatly, "Why do you think I'm named _Honey_ maren?"

Elsa blinked as the look of realization slowly dawned upon her face, Honeymaren shook her head and then they both burst out laughing together. Elsa raised her cup and Honeymaren clinked hers against it, they tried taking sips in between giggles and went back to enjoying the atmosphere. They stood there for a while in the edge of the firelight, watching and talking, the mead and laughter filling Elsa's chest with warmth.

"Hey," Honeymaren said, offering her hand and giving Elsa a tentative look, "Come dance with me?"

Elsa glanced down at the offered hand, setting her cup down and clasping her own together in front of her chest. All the old excuses came flooding into her thoughts as she considered what to do. 

This wasn't Arendelle. She could do what she wanted now.

She smiled back and hesitantly placed her hand in Honeymaren's, whose fingers wrapped around hers, then she was suddenly being whisked right over to the roaring bonfire. Elsa looked around anxiously to try and see how the others were dancing, but Honeymaren took her other hand and then swung both of their arms from side to side, swaying and leaning into the motion, lifting her legs and stamping her feet in time with the rhythm of the drums. Elsa glanced down to watch the footwork then hesitantly followed along at first, but soon caught on and began to move less awkwardly by the minute. The dance grew more lively as they mirrored each other's movements and locked eyes in silent conversation. Elsa felt herself relaxing more and more, years of rigidity and reservation melting away with every step.

They circled the fire, and Ryder slid over, throwing his arms up and greeting them with a huge grin. Honeymaren let go and spun Elsa around, who took Ryder's hands as she did, muscle-memory taking over as she repeated the patterns and danced along, the rhythm and chanting carrying her around and around. More joined in and and she began to lose herself in the flow of it all. She was surrounded by smiling faces and open arms.

Time slipped by unnoticed as she danced, and a feeling of unrestrained joy rose up from deep within her chest. Elsa soon began to forget her surroundings, barely noticing when the siblings had stepped away from the fire. She closed her eyes and threw her head back, stamping her feet against the earth, sweeping circles along the ground with her toes as she glided along. She stretched her limbs to the fullest, spinning and weaving her way through the air, pushing right up to the edge of her balance and then pivoting back. She could feel the music guiding her now, and she let her body follow its lead. The movements came to her as easily as breathing.

Off in the distance, Ryder and Honeymaren stood side by side, taking a break while watching the evolving spectacle before them as Elsa danced.

"Don't think I missed what you were trying to do back there," Honeymaren said, giving her brother a side-eyed glance, elbowing him in the ribs. "Think you’re pretty smooth, huh?”

He scratched his chin thoughtfully, flashing a look of feigned innocence, "Says the woman who walked right in and gave her a crown. I knew you were bold, but wow... Does she even realize what it meant?"

"She has absolutely no idea," Maren said with a hint of smugness, then threw her arm around Ryder's neck and pulled him into a playful headlock, "Which makes it even better, so don't go saying anything to her. Hear me?"

"Ack! Okay, okay, fine. You got it." Ryder blurted.

Elsa inhaled deeply, drinking in the cool night air and the rich smell of the fire, drifting along, around and around. She began to leave shimmering trails in the air behind her, a ghostly afterimage of her movements painted in diamond dust. Swirls of magic grew larger, brighter, without her notice. Elsa pushed harder, moving with greater intensity as the drums grew louder and louder then suddenly...

Silence.

She panted heavily and opened her eyes, looking around. The lights, shapes, and trails that hung in the air around her continued to move even though she froze, suddenly the center of attention as the eyes of every Northuldra there fell upon her. She glanced around self-consciously, her flight or flight reflexes kicking in. The moment passed, and then all at once a cheer went up from the crowd, a resounding approval. Elsa's embarrassment immediately faded, and she threw her arms up as well, sending a shower of blue-white starbursts into the air as she did. The drumbeats resumed and she gleefully jumped right back into her dance, setting her magic loose to the fullest extent. It was as though she'd brought the stars down from the sky above and scattered them all around the fire as she went.

The celebration carried on late into the night, the energy ebbing and flowing like the flames of the bonfire. After a certain point, it all began to blur together. The last things Elsa remembered were the echoes of laughter and firelight, hugging and saying goodnight to people, then wrapping herself up in warm blankets and falling asleep in her hut.

* * *

Once more, she dreamed.

She was standing in the same deep void as before, and glanced around waiting for something to happen. Elsa narrowed her eyes, then caught the faintest hints of light as she saw the same patterns emerging and growing. They seemed brighter this time, more vivid than before.

She looked down at her feet and though there was no ground, she could see identical threads flowing out from where she stood. Reaching, spreading, moving with purpose. Elsa felt that same sharp tug, pulling her forward. She took a step, then another, and soon she was walking. As she did, the patterns and outlines continued to manifest. It almost looked like there were structures that held the flowing lines of light, but she couldn't make sense of them in a way that her mind recognized. She walked for a very long time. All around her, more and more of the threads became visible and interconnected as she moved in the direction she was being pulled. She reached out hesitantly and plucked one that hung nearby, her finger tingling with pins-and-needles as she did. Elsa flexed her hand open and closed a few times, small motes of the same light rising from her fingertips.

Then she heard something.

" _.......sa_ "

A voice, muted, like being heard through a wall. It came again, a bit clearer this time.

" _..........Elsa_!"

Her name, that's right. Someone was calling her. Where was it…

" **ELSA**!"

Her eyes snapped open and she was no longer in the void, all the golden threads of light were gone.

The first thing she noticed was the sound. Like an endless stream of broken glass falling. She was outside, staring straight up into the sky, and from it fell thousands of shards of ice, raining down all around her and tinkling against the ground. Elsa exhaled slowly, her breath rising in steam in front of her as she tilted her head down and took in her surroundings. It was somewhere deep in the forest but...

Every tree, plant, and visible inch of ground around her was encased in a thin, shimmering layer of ice. It radiated out from where she stood, stretching farther than she could see. Her eyes went wide with fear as she saw the world covered in frost.

"What..."

"Elsa?" the voice from behind her asked again, footsteps coming closer and crushing shards of ice as they did, “Can you hear me?”

She turned around and Honeymaren stood there, along with a group of the other warriors from the village, shields lifted overhead to protect themselves from the rain of ice. Elsa’s gaze fell, and she stared vacantly at her hands, then balled them into fists.

The shards stopped falling and a dreadful silence took their place.

"Where am I?" Elsa murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion, "How did I... I remember being at the festival and..."

"Elsa...." Honeymaren stared back at her in shock."That... that was–"

"Was what?"

"You disappeared three days ago." Honeymaren said softly, hesitating as if she were talking to a wounded animal, "We've been looking for you ever since the morning after the festival."

Three days?

No... that wasn't right. It couldn't be, she was just there... She'd been there, in the village.

A tree branch cracked somewhere off to the side, falling to the ground and shattering into pieces.

Elsa sunk to her knees as all her strength left her. She gritted her teeth and buried her face in her hands as her body started trembling uncontrollably.

Three days.

Three. Days.

Gone.

_....What_

_………What is happening to me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the google-translated Finnish substituted as Northuldran. I couldn't find a good source to do actual northern Sámi.
> 
> * * *
> 
>  _"Gakti are the traditional clothing worn by the Sámi people. The gákti is worn both in ceremonial contexts and while working, particularly when herding reindeer. Traditional gákti are most commonly in variations of red, blue, green, white, medium-brown tanned leather, or reindeer fur. The colours, patterns and the jewelery of the gákti indicate where a person is from, if a person is single or married, and sometimes can even be specific to their family."_  
>   
>  My undying love goes out to Sage for this [beautiful rendition of Honeymaren's outfit](https://my-diamond-dust.tumblr.com/post/190164221791/soligenas-honeymaren-in-sami-inspired-clothes-as). She did a marvelous job with the traditional style, while also artfully capturing a special side of Honeymaren's personality in it.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Thank you to [buttons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttons15/pseuds/spookyscaryskeletons) and [AWickedIceQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AWickedIceQueen) for beta-reading, editing, and witnessing the horrific first draft of this chapter with their own eyes. Lives may have been saved.


	6. The Dreamweaver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's certainly been a minute, hasn't it? I got caught up editing [Cryptid](http://archiveofourown.org/works/21788212) for [Buttons](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/buttons15) and helping her unleash the emotional warcrime known as Chapter 11 on you all.  
> Then I got busy running a whole entire [Elsamaren Gift Exchange](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Elsamaren_Femslash_February_2020).  
> Then a bunch of other stuff including a global pandemic happened...so yeah. Thanks for sticking around and waiting for this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

The ride back to the forest and village was excruciating. Not only because it took nearly a day and a half to make the trip, but also because of what they saw along the way. Despite the immediate scenery that welcomed her back to reality when she was abruptly jolted out of her dream, Elsa was still unprepared for the sights that awaited her on the trip.

The route they took home was simple enough to follow; it was one that she herself had made. Retracing her exact steps was effortless since everything within a 100-meter radius of where she’d walked was completely and utterly frozen. The deep freeze that had fallen upon Arendelle seemed quaint and picturesque in comparison now. This was more than a mere dusting of snow. What surrounded her was an arctic nightmare made real and dreadfully distinct. The layer of ice upon the ground cracked beneath the hooves of the reindeer with each step they took. All the leaves on the trees, each individual blade of grass--they were now frozen completely solid and would fall to pieces at the slightest touch of a breeze. Sounds of ice shattering off in the distance periodically rang through the air as all sorts of plantlife now turned more brittle than crystal were collapsing under their own weight. Besides that, it was deathly quiet. Elsa knew it was unlikely that animals might have avoided the flash-freeze, but still she prayed that nothing living had been caught in her path as she’d come this way.

But what Elsa found most disconcerting of all, more than the trail of icy destruction she’d left in her wake, was the direction that she’d been heading. As they backtracked, it quickly became clear that the path she’d followed was unerringly linear and headed only one way: due north. Even though the air temperature all around her was still below freezing, it was the thought of what this meant that made Elsa shiver instead.

Something was reaching deep down into the core of her being and it was pulling her north, and she had no idea why. This time there was no voice, no siren-song. It was only the visceral sensation of an unseen force dragging her along. The feeling of raw terror that came with this realization and the firm grip it had on her was mind-numbing.

Eventually, seeing the destruction she'd unconsciously wrought became too much for her to bear, so she let her gaze fall and sat in silence as the reindeer she rode upon followed the rest of the group at a cautious pace. No one else said anything, not even Honeymaren, for they all knew the unanswered question that hung in the air as visibly as the steam from their labored breaths would remain that way, so there was no use wasting time or energy saying anything about it right now.

Once they reached the village and dismounted their reindeer to let them rejoin the herd, Elsa spoke a series of polite and obligatory words of gratitude to the group of warriors that had come to find her, while feeling as though someone other than herself was the one forming the sounds and making her lips and body move. Once the appropriate social gestures had been dispensed with, she briskly made her way back to her hut, stepped inside, and shut the door. She held her hands up and stared at them blankly, they were shaking again, but not quite as badly as when she’d awoken. Elsa headed over to the baskets where she kept some of the clothing and fabrics she’d brought along or had sent up from Arendelle. Rummaging through the pile intently and working with haste, she found a sheet of tan muslin cloth that would suit her purposes.

Elsa shook it out and spread it across the floor, smoothing the edges until it laid flat. Then, with steely focus and precision, knelt down beside it and began methodically tearing it into long strips.

Rip, rip, rip.

She worked carefully and with fluid motions, soon amassing a small pile of cloth while only pausing periodically to tie the ends of the strips together. Occasionally, Elsa would exhale shallowly and then took a deep, shuddering breath because she'd been holding her breath without realizing it. Once she was satisfied that she had enough, she sat back and rolled her neck, the tension that kept her spine unerringly rigid seeped into her shoulders. She wanted to just stop, succumb, and let the cold make her comfortably numb.

_You lost three days sleepwalking through the forest, chasing visions in a dream while being summoned to the place you died._

_Finish this task so you can get your act back together. ___

____

__

Ignoring the crushing feeling in her chest and the adrenaline that coursed through her veins when she reached for the cloth, Elsa grabbed a length of it and held it against her forearm and began to wrap it. Around and around; up to her wrist, across her palm several times, and over each individual finger. She doubled back, wrapping a second layer to make sure there were no gaps anywhere in the cloth. Once she was satisfied with her left arm, she repeated the same process with the right. She took some of the excess cloth in her teeth and bit down on it, ripping off the rest and then tucked the remainder into a fold.

When she'd finished, Elsa flipped her hands over a few times, inspecting them thoroughly and flexing her fingers to make sure the wrappings stayed in place. They looked ragged and utterly unrefined.

 _Close enough_ , she thought, then nodded sharply and rose from the floor. She shuffled over to her bed, ignoring the persistent ache in her muscles and the shaking of her legs that had come from the days of apparently non-stop walking, then laid down heavily upon the furs. Elsa rolled onto her side and hugged her legs to her chest, burying her face against her knees, reminding herself to keep breathing because she'd forgotten to again. She wanted to cry, but found she couldn’t. Tears would have made things a lot easier, but all she felt was the old familiar emptiness that she thought she had seen the last of when she left Arendelle behind.

Memories of a young girl sitting alone quietly in a dark room came back to her.

Elsa shivered involuntarily and exhaled deeply as the acrid current of anxiety in her mind finally started to dissipate a little. Knowing that she’d come as close to equilibrium as she could get at this point, she attempted to collect her thoughts.

* * *

Outside Elsa's hut, the group of Northuldra that had returned to the village stood around in a loose cluster, along with a few others who'd come over to find out what had happened after they arrived, with Yelana joining them last.

They all stood in silence at first, casting glances at one another and then occasionally over in the direction of the hut. Then they began to murmur to one another about what had happened, where they'd found Elsa, but nobody still had any clue what it actually meant or why she had vanished.

"What do you think happened?"

"Is she safe to be around?"

"Are the spirits angry with us again?"

Honeymaren was wringing her hands and trying to decide what to do, but she couldn't push away the feelings of fear and uncertainty that had been overwhelming her since the first moment she set off in search of Elsa. Maren was--above all else--concerned for her friend, but the lizard part of her brain that ruled over her survival-instincts was making it very difficult for her to focus on matters at hand since it was still quite busy screaming panic at her about everything that had happened since they'd found Elsa. Maren remembered the sinking feeling of dread in her stomach when, after hours of trying to pick up the trail, they finally saw the first of the permafrost. She'd known in that instant she wasn't going to like what awaited her down that path if she followed it. Her instincts had been right, as usual.

Honeymaren was just about to turn to the group and say something, but then she felt a sudden shove at the small of her back and was sent stumbling forward a couple of steps towards the hut. She caught her balance, pivoted, and shot an incredulous look at the group, where Yelana was now standing at the center and smiling innocently. Honeymaren looked back and forth between them and the hut a few times, then stuck her neck out and pointed at her chest while lifting her other hand questioningly.

 _Me? Are you serious right now?_ She asked wordlessly.

Yelana shrugged and tilted her head to the side. The rest of the group alternated between making shooing-motions at her with their hands and giving her thumbs-up signals. Honeymaren bit her bottom lip and dropped a hand into the crook of her other elbow, lifting a fist at them in an obscene gesture before turning back to face the hut.

 _I guess I’ve become the designated Spirit-diplomat, apparently. Thanks for nothing_ , She thought.

Maren approached the door of the hut and stood there for a moment, lifted a fist to knock, hesitated, then did it anyway. "Elsa, it's me. Can we talk?"

Silence. The sun had almost set now and she watched the shadows growing longer as she stood there waiting for a reply.

"Elsa please, I know you can hear me. If you want to be alone that's fine but I need to--"

 _I need to ask you about something you clearly have no memory or understanding of so I can try in vain to explain to everyone else what happened to you and put them at ease_.

"I'm going to come in. Just for a minute," she said firmly, then pulled the door open and stepped inside. It was dark, but once her eyes adjusted she could see Elsa laying on the bed curled up in a ball. She began to take a few steps closer, but stopped the moment Elsa spoke.

"Stay back," she said, her tone full of fatigue and defeat, "I don't want to hurt you by accident."

Honeymaren briefly considered the warning, but then her instincts took over and she started walking towards the edge of the bed.

"You won't," she said, speaking as calmly as she possibly could, even though she felt like a ball of nerves.

"You-- you don't know that. Even I don't know that," Elsa said weakly, drawing her arms tighter around herself as her form seemed to shrink even smaller, "I've lost control before, but nothing like this time. Never this badly. So please, just, don't..."

Honeymaren gritted her teeth and glanced back at the door one last time, clenching her hands into fists. The fear that filled her heart wasn't as strong as the other feeling there that won out in the end and she closed the rest of the distance to the bed, moving around to sit down on the same side as Elsa. Tired eyes glanced up briefly at her as she settled down on the furs, then returned to staring at the nearby wall.

Maren lifted a hand tentatively to rest it upon Elsa's shoulder until she caught sight of her cloth-wrapped hands, breath catching in her throat. "What... are these?" she asked, gently taking one of Elsa's hands in her own and lifting it off the bed.

"Gloves," Elsa murmured, shutting her eyes and frowning, "Or as close to them as I could make with what I had here. All of my old pairs are still in a chest back at the castle."

"But why did you--"

"To keep it in." Elsa said flatly, "Like I always used to."

She immediately knew what 'it' was, and Elsa's despondent tone made her truly realize just how heavily all the years of repression had weighed upon the woman laying on the bed beside her. It was heartbreaking, seeing a mighty and beautiful being like her reduced to this. That this was how she had been made to exist all those years before: bound in shame and silence.

Honeymaren felt the heat of tears at the corner of her eyes and lifted her free hand to wipe them away hastily. She tilted her head back and looked up for a moment, exhaling in a short huff, then dropped her gaze and reached for the end of the cloth and pulled it free. She felt Elsa tense next to her, but when she didn't pull away, Honeymaren began to unravel the wrapping, gently and slowly. The process felt more delicate than anything she had attempted in her life before, but she steeled herself and continued working until the last of Elsa's fingers came free, then set the length of cloth aside on the bed between them.

Maren slid her palm against Elsa's--it was cool to the touch, but not uncomfortable--and locked their fingers together. She lifted it slightly and bowed her head, closing her eyes and pressing her lips to the back of Elsa's hand. When she opened her eyes again, she saw her friend staring back at her wide-eyed in shock. Maren smiled for a moment before lifting the hand to her own face and then placed the palm flat against her cheek, leaning into it and covering it with her own hand, warming it from both sides against her skin.

"See?" she whispered softly, "I'm not afraid."

She felt Elsa's fingers relax against her cheek and squeeze it lightly, as if checking to make sure Honeymaren were actually there and what she felt was real. Elsa sat there for a minute, until the realization hit her that Honeymaren wasn't just saying this to placate her. She blinked and tears ran over the bridge of her nose and down her cheek, pattering against the blanket where she lay.

"Honeymaren?" she asked tentatively in a broken voice, pausing to swallow the lump in her throat. Maren's reply was a soft hum of acknowledgment, urging her to continue. "Will you... will you hold me? Please?"

Honeymaren nodded once, slowly, then crawled over to the center of the bed without letting go of Elsa's hand, using it to roll her over and bring them face to face with one another. She scooted as close as she possibly could, then wrapped her arms around Elsa and pulled her into a gentle embrace. She pressed her nose against the top of Elsa's head and began to comb her fingers through long, blonde hair. Maren's heart stopped for a second when she felt Elsa hug her back tightly and nuzzle against her neck, her breath warm upon her skin.

A hundred different thoughts flooded her head, like maybe taking a shot at explaining what she'd meant when she'd given Elsa the flower crown during the festival, but part of her knew that would be utterly tactless right now. Elsa saved her from potentially embarrassing herself by speaking first:

"What do I do, Maren? I don't understand. It was... everything was fine."

"Do you remember anything after you went to bed that night?"

Honeymaren felt Elsa shake her head slowly against her, "None of it. Until I heard you calling my name I was just--"

She trailed off and fell silent.

"What?"

"Dreaming.” Elsa said distantly as the fragments of the vision came back to her, “I was dreaming."

"What kind of dream was it?"

"Dark. It was completely black but then there were these lines? Shapes? Like pure light, all around, constantly moving and flowing. I've never seen anything like it."

Maren paused as she hit a tangle in Elsa's hair, then carefully worked it loose and resumed stroking her hair.

"And something was pulling me along, reaching inside me to do it. I just kept walking, and walking, like I had no choice at all."

Honeymaren had experienced a wide variety of dreams throughout her life, but none quite as abstract and mysterious as this. She was clever and competent, but even she knew when she was thoroughly out of her depth, so she did what she'd learned to do whenever she found that she was clueless: she kept asking questions.

"What do you think it means?" she spoke, shifting her hands lower and rubbing Elsa's back reassuringly.

“That I’m losing my grip on reality? That I thought I could finally trust myself and my powers, but I actually can’t? Who knows?” Elsa said, the vexation bleeding through into her voice

 _Only Ahtohallan knows_ , came the thought, which was wholly unhelpful and probably would have sounded sarcastic in this context, so she quickly buried it. The fact that Elsa had been heading right in the direction of the ancient glacier wasn’t exactly helpful either. She was avoiding even mentioning it, so Maren read the subtext and decided not to press Elsa any further.

"I wish that I knew why, and I'm sorry I don't," Honeymaren said, "My parents told me that when they were young and troubled by strange dreams, they would go to speak with our dreamweaver."

"Was that some kind of--"

"Person. The dreamweaver was a person, the acting shaman for the Northuldra. One said to be born with the power to see beyond the barrier between worlds. We haven't had a dreamweaver with us in a very long time, though."

"What happened to the last one?" Elsa asked.

"She was among the other half of our families that got trapped outside the forest." Honeymaren pulled back a bit so she could meet Elsa's gaze, trying to keep her expression and tone as neutral as possible, but Elsa still flinched slightly at the answer.

"Oh..." Elsa said, sounding crestfallen and glancing away. She sighed ruefully and closed her eyes, "Yes, of course she was."

Elsa clutched at the back of Honeymaren's coat, wondering when the ripple effect of her Grandfather's blunders would ever cease. She kept still like this for quite some time, drinking in the warmth and comfort that Honeymaren offered. Elsa felt herself relaxing as her racing, panicked thoughts from earlier were finally silenced.

She breathed in Honeymaren's scent--a mix of leather, earth, and pine--and instead thought back to the early days they'd spent together in the forest. Remembering the time she'd first noticed that scent, as Honeymaren leaned in close to her by the fire while explaining the significance of the patterns on her mother's scarf. The individual threads that made up each detail and image...

_Wait._

Elsa's eyes fluttered open again as an idea struck her.

_Maybe..._

"What is it?" Honeymaren asked, and Elsa stifled a disappointed whine, because the way Maren had been rubbing the base of her neck felt incredible and she was distraught that she'd stopped.

Elsa knew she was probably grasping at straws, refusing to give up hope out of pure stubbornness, but maybe she had hit upon something to work with. Something for later, at least, when exhaustion wasn't dragging her back into unconsciousness.

Elsa shook her head, pressing herself as close as she possibly could to Honeymaren, "Nothing yet. I thought of something that might give us a clue. But you can help me try to explain it to everyone tomorrow."

"And what about right now?"

"For now, just this," Elsa whispered, squeezing Honeymaren, who could hear the smile in her voice, "I'm falling asleep and need you to make sure I won't wander off again."

"Oh." Honeymaren said, feeling her chest suddenly tighten, "Well, I was going to do that anyway. But if you insist..."

She pressed both of her palms flat against Elsa's back, shifting against her to get more comfortable, then kissed her gently on the forehead. "I'll stay right here, then."

* * *

When Honeymaren awoke the next morning, it took her a few very confused moments to remember exactly where she had fallen asleep. The hut and bed in which she found herself were decidedly not her own. Once she rolled over, she was met with a sight that made her breath catch in her throat. Elsa laid beside her, sleeping peacefully, hair spilling messily over her face after coming loose from the braid she'd kept it in. She was still enough that she looked almost like a statue or a painting--were it not for the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

Honeymaren's eyes fell to Elsa's barely parted lips just a few inches away from her and reality suddenly came into sharp focus, all grogginess from her mind now banished. An internal struggle began to rage and she fought to keep her composure--to keep from giving in to what she'd dreamed of night after night ever since Elsa had first arrived from Arendelle. Honeymaren bit her lip and suppressed a keening sound in her throat that would have been a whine were it vocalised, then sighed and settled for lifting a hand to brush back the loose hair and then gently stroke Elsa's cheek. That was a relatively innocuous gesture she could downplay easily, right? Definitely.

Elsa stirred and reacted to the touch, her eyes slowly opening and meeting Honeymaren's gaze. She smiled, and Honeymaren felt as though she could barely breathe. This was entirely too much for her to process so early in the day. Elsa saved her the trouble of trying to find coherent words to start the conversation.

"Good morning," she said sleepily, nestling closer to Honeymaren beneath the blankets and furs, seeking refuge from the cool morning air.

Honeymaren was pretty sure she managed to say something resembling 'good morning' before her breath caught in her throat. She slid her arms around Elsa and hugged her, while also thinking about pinching herself to make sure she wasn't still asleep. They lay together comfortably like this for some time, quietly enjoying each other’s warmth while listening to the far off sounds of birds chirping and morning activity in the village as they filtered through the wooden panels of the hut.

"We should probably get up soon, huh?" Elsa asked eventually, speaking the words into the crook of Honeymaren's neck, her breath tickling and warming her skin.

"Probably. But we had a long ride yesterday. It's only fair that we sleep in a little," Honeymaren said as she lifted a hand and began idly stroking Elsa's hair, marveling at how soft it felt between her fingers. Truth be told, Honeymaren would have gladly stayed in bed all day with Elsa like this, and very much wanted to say so. But given the circumstances, she didn't think it was really the right time for that, so she decided to stay quiet and enjoy the moment for what it was.

"Did you sleep alright?" Honeymaren asked, resting her cheek against the top of Elsa's head, who simply nodded and gave a quiet 'mhmm' in reply. Maybe it was just due to the fact that she was only half awake, or maybe the night's rest had done her well--either way, based on Elsa's body language she seemed to be much less tense and anxious. Honeymaren felt relieved that she'd managed to make herself useful after all and succeeded in helping Elsa relax. Elsa had barely moved an inch all night, so Honeymaren's worries of having to hold Elsa back and keep her from sleep-wandering off again were alleviated.

After a few more long, peaceful minutes, the two of them wordlessy agreed it was time to rise. They straightened out their clothes, re-did each other's braids, then stepped outside into the early morning sunlight. Honeymaren started walking towards the center of the village, but then stopped after a few feet when she no longer heard Elsa walking beside her. She turned around and saw Elsa standing just outside her hut, wringing her hands and frowning. Wasting no time, Honeymaren simply walked back to her, took Elsa by the hand, and gently pulled her along with her. Elsa made a couple muffled sounds of protest at first, but soon fell in step next to Honeymaren, squeezing her hand a little more tightly.

They soon arrived at the main firepit and stood there. Yelana soon approached and she traded whispers with Honeymaren, nodding slowly as she did. Then, she reached down to her belt and grabbed the leather-wrapped horn from it, lifted it to her mouth and blew, filling the air with its rich sound. This got everyone's attention quickly and within a minute or so, everyone in the village was assembled around the fire.

"Elsa has returned and wishes to say something to us all." She turned to Elsa and gave her a nod, "Go ahead, my dear."

Elsa hesitated as she collected her thoughts, taking comfort in the reassuring feeling of Honeymaren’s hand in hers.

"Um... hi... everyone. I'm sorry for disappearing? And for making you worry about me. I'm okay now, I think." She picked out some of the faces of the members of the search party, looking at them one by one and then turning to look at Honeymaren last, "Thank you for coming to find me and for bringing me back. I know it's not fair to ask for your help again so soon after an ordeal like that, but there is something I need your help with, and every one of you can do it."

A hushed murmur went through the crowd as they wondered what she was referring to. When silence fell again, Elsa continued:

"I don’t understand what happened to me the other day but… I need to speak with your Dreamweaver to figure out why it happened. I know she's not here, but I think she might still be out there," She paused and gestured toward the path leading out of the forest, "I want to try and find her, as well as anyone else who was with her. Do any of you still have keepsakes of theirs or other things that once belonged to them? It can be anything, just something of theirs that they've touched. A piece of clothing, a tool, a favorite blanket. If you think you have something like that, please bring it here to me. I'll wait while you go look."

More discussion and murmurs filled the air. Some people shrugged and looked on in disbelief, a few others quickly broke into a run and went back to their goahti to start digging through old things. Elsa sat down on one of the log benches by the firepit, Honeymaren right beside her.

"What are you thinking of trying?" Honeymaren asked.

"A magic trick." Elsa said coyly as she watched the glowing coals change colors.

"One that you've done before?"

Elsa shrugged and shook her head. "Nope! This will be the first time."

"I see... do you think it will work?"

"Looks like we're about to find out," Elsa said, looking up and nodding over at Yelana, who was now slowly approaching the two of them, clutching something in her hand.

She extended it towards Elsa and produced a weathered-looking necklace, made of leather with fine metal wire woven and braided intricately around it. Honeymaren's eyes went wide in recognition of the design, but she said nothing as Yelana handed it over to Elsa.

"Will this do?" Yelana asked solemnly.

Elsa stared at the necklace for a moment, and suddenly felt a faint tingling in her hands where it touched her skin.

"I think so.” Elsa said, tracing a finger over the surface of the necklace and taking in the details of it. “Who does it belong to?"

"The very same person you’re seeking." Yelana sighed and took a deep breath before continuing, "Her name is Riina and she was our shaman. The last Dreamweaver."

Honeymaren and Elsa traded a surprised look, then simultaneously leaned over to stare at the necklace more closely. Elsa lifted her gaze to meet Yelana’s once more before giving her a thankful nod.

Deciding not to give herself the chance to get worked up any further with worry, Elsa held the necklace in the palm of one hand and covered it with the other, then closed her eyes and began to focus. She tried to feel the warmth of a memory and sense of connection to the object its owner might have had. She imagined a Northuldran woman wearing it, singing songs, dancing by the fire with her friends, and telling stories. Elsa focused harder and harder, the sounds of the world around her soon faded away completely as she listened. Then, to her surprise, she felt an echoing pulse. Far off in the distance, like someone ringing a bell miles away. It was faint, but she could sense it. Her eyes snapped open and she stood up suddenly, turning in its direction and staring off into the forest.

"Elsa?" Honeymaren asked, still holding her hand.

"I felt it. There's... something? I don't know what, but I know _where_. And I think I can guide us there?"

The people who were still gathered by the fire after Yelana had brought forth the necklace let out a collective gasp. Honeymaren stood up and glanced furtively between the necklace, Elsa, and the direction her friend had been staring off towards.

"Can you tell how close it is?" she asked.

Elsa narrowed her eyes and clutched the necklace a bit tighter, taking another quiet moment to concentrate.

"A day or two, maybe? At a normal riding pace."

Maren gave Yelana a sharp nod, then moved to break away towards the clearing where the reindeer were.

"I'll get the strongest of the herd and--" She started to say, but was interrupted by Elsa tugging at her sleeve and shaking her head.

"I'm going to ask someone else for a ride. It'll save us time," she said quietly. Honeymaren's eyes widened a bit in realization as Elsa started walking over towards the small stream running past the village. She lifted both of her hands to her mouth and drew in a deep breath, then let out a loud, otherworldly kulning call that seemed to reverberate throughout the air and trees way more than it should have.

Almost instantly, a geyser of water burst from the middle of the stream and coagulated into the shape of a horse. The Nokk stamped its feet, sensing the urgency of the call and reflecting that with impatience. Elsa reached over and stroked its mane, running her hand along it to send ice cascading across its neck and down all over its body. The shimmering horse stepped over the bank of the stream as its water crystallized into ice and made its form more solid so it could stand on land.

Elsa wrapped her arms around the Nokk's neck and deftly swung herself up onto its back, flicking her hands and summoning reins of ice to hold onto. Everyone in the group took several steps back and cleared the way as Elsa rode out into the center of the crowd, coming to a halt after sidling up next to Honeymaren, who was looking up at her with an awestruck expression even though she'd seen Elsa ride the water spirit countless times before. 'Majestic' was the only word that filled her thoughts at the moment.

"Come with me?" Elsa asked, extending her hand to Honeymaren with a shy smile, "I'll probably need you to translate, depending on who we find..."

Honeymaren smiled back and gladly took Elsa's hand, and was soon swinging up onto the Nokk's back to sit behind Elsa. She slid her arms around Elsa's waist and nodded once she was ready. Elsa kicked her heels into the horse's flank and it reared up, then broke into a rapid run almost as soon as its front hooves touched the ground, leaving behind a small spray of ice crystals in its wake. They raced through the forest down the path towards the exit with the four elemental stones and soon burst through the treeline, flying across the open plane and heading toward the mountains far in the distance. The world moved by in a blur and Honeymaren let out a screaming laugh as Elsa drove the Nokk harder and picked up the pace. She had never ridden on this fast in her life before and found that, rather than being terrified, she loved it.

Far on the horizon, the pine-dotted snow capped mountains grew closer and closer until eventually they were in the foothills. It seemed like it had hardly taken any time at all, and Honeymaren wondered just how far they had traveled already. The terrain grew a bit rockier and unstable, but the Nokk still seemed to glide over everything with ease, its footfalls light and agile. Elsa steered them towards a river that ran down from the mountains and they rode right out onto the water's surface, their steed turning it to ice with every stride it made. They approached a tall waterfall cascading down several terraces and Honeymaren's grip on Elsa's waist tightened nervously when she didn't slow their approach at all. 

Elsa dropped the reins and threw up her hands, palms-out towards the waterfall. In seconds, the shape of it changed and the entire waterfall crystallized into a solid incline of ice. The Nokk continued on and rode straight up the waterfall, leaping over the crest at the top and sailing through the air several meters until it landed upon the basin above, breaking out into a run again as soon it did. They'd gained hundreds of feet in altitude in a matter of moments--Honeymaren's ears popped and she felt a little out of breath. She wasn't sure if that was due to the fact that Elsa had just turned an entire waterfall into a path for them to ascend, or if the air legitimately was thinner up here. Maybe a bit of both?

Once her stomach had come back down out of her throat, Honeymaren leaned forward and spoke into Elsa's ear. "Are we close?"

"Yes, it's getting much stronger, I can feel it. There's a valley just on the other side of these mountains and I think it's there!" Elsa called back without looking away, tightening her grip on the reins and urging the Nokk onward.

"That's great!" Honeymaren said, then laughed nervously, "Could you maybe warn me the next time you're going to do that? It was fun, but I think I almost fainted. I'm not a spirit like you..."

Elsa laughed heartily in response, leaning back a little and bumping her head against Honeymaren's. "I'm sorry! I just got really excited. I guess that must've been kind of scary for you."

"Don't worry about it. Let's keep going!" Honeymaren said, trying to mirror Elsa's enthusiasm. More than anything, she felt the kind of anxious anticipation of not knowing what was waiting up ahead of you. She tried not to get her hopes up in case they didn't end up finding who they were looking for, but the prospect of reuniting with the lost ones was too difficult to resist getting excited about.

As they approached the ridge that led down into the valley beyond, the first thing Honeymaren could see was the wide blue surface of a great lake glistening in the afternoon sunlight. It was a lush valley full of trees and other flora. She could have sworn she even saw a few four legged creatures moving at the far edge of the lake--reindeer, maybe?

"We're going down there, hang on!" Elsa called, then threw her arms back to pull some of the water from the river, sending it forward in a huge wave and cascading down the slope that led into the valley. As soon as there was enough of it coating the dirt and rocks, she froze all of it to create another ramp for them to slide down. The Nokk adjusted its stance accordingly and they zipped down into the valley, hitting the ground there in seconds and tearing up a spray of earth and grass as Elsa hit the "brakes" on her steed. They came to a stop and when Honeymaren looked behind them, there was a hundred-meter-long trench torn up in the ground.

“Very... graceful.” Honeymaren said as calmly as she could between heavy breaths, still reeling from the experience.

“I wanted to get us here fast,” said Elsa, who shrugged and flashed a sheepish grin.

Now that they were at ground level again, Elsa guided the Nokk towards the edge of the lake. On the far shore, directly opposite where they’d landed, the faint shapes of several buildings stood out against the treeline. They almost looked like…

“Are those… goahti?” Honeymaren leaned forward and lifted a hand to her brow to block out the sun and peer at the structures. They blended in a lot with the forest by design, but they were definitely there and very familiar-looking.

“Maybe. Let’s go see!” Elsa flicked the reins and the Nokk broke into a gallop, stepping out onto the water. Wherever its hooves touched the surface, a small trail of ice formed, giving it a floating bridge to run across. They quickly reached the other side and it trotted onto the sand. Elsa and Honeymaren dismounted, carefully approaching the cluster of goahti. It didn't seem like anyone was around and most of them looked closed up and uninhabited. The only sign of life was a faint bit of smoke coming from the firepit at the center of the camp, but the place looked completely deserted otherwise. Honeymaren nodded to Elsa and began circling the camp, checking for tracks or any signs of activity.

Elsa continued following the signal, which she now felt like a deep thrumming within her chest, and it took her past a couple of the larger goahti, near the edge of the forest. There were an assortment of stones sticking up from the grassy ground that she immediately recognized. Her heart sank.

Drawing close to one in particular, she stood over the grave and held up the necklace, the call of its owner extending from deep within the earth beneath her feet. Elsa frowned, sighed deeply, and let her head drop in disappointment.

She lingered there for a minute, staring at the gravestone and the Northuldran runes carved there, and was just about to reach for her pocket journal so she could check her notes when...

"Can I help you?" a cheerful voice said from behind her.

Elsa startled, nearly dropping the necklace, then whirled around. There was a young woman, a teenager by her look, standing there. She wore the traditional coats and shawl of the Northuldra, adorned with patterns and accents Elsa doesn't recognize. Her hair was dark, nearly black, and her skin cream-colored. Most strikingly, her irises were mismatched--one was a deep brown while the other was a milky white.

Elsa was at a loss for words, shocked into silence by the girl’s sudden appearance. She hadn't heard a sound or sensed any movement. Where did she even come from?

"Don't be frightened." The young woman lifted her hands in a peaceful gesture, speaking in Norwegian, her words precise but still carrying a noticeable accent, "Are you looking for something?"

"Someone, actually. I was hoping to meet her, but it seems as though I've arrived far too late," Elsa said, turning halfway and gesturing to the grave she was standing over.

The young woman leaned to one side and peered past Elsa to see the grave she was gesturing to, then smiled softly and nodded.

"Ah yes, she is no longer with us I’m afraid. You seem unusually sad, though, for someone standing at a stranger's grave. Might I ask who you are?"

Elsa nearly began to give her standard queenly introduction but then remembered it wasn't quite applicable anymore, considering where she lived now. She fumbled for the right Northuldran words she'd been taught, hoping her tone was correct:

" _I am Elsa, daughter of Iduna, of the family Kauranen. Do we walk the same path beneath the sun?_ "

The girl's smile widened just a bit as she spoke the refrain: " _So long as it rises, together may we walk._ "

Elsa exhaled the breath she’d been holding as the girl continued to speak:

" _I’m glad to finally meet you, Elsa. My name is Sonja._ " She said pausing to affect a humble bow, and then fixed Elsa with a pointed look. " _Riina was my mother. I can't speak entirely on her behalf but I might be able to help you, cousin of mine._ "

Elsa was confused, snapping back into Norwegian and panicking that she'd misremembered something. "Cousin? Wait no I--"

"Yes." Sonja's smile widened even more, which seemed impossible, but it happened anyway, "For you see, ever since I was a child, my mother often told me stories of the beloved sister she lost long ago when the spirits brought the mist down upon the forest. And that sister's name was Iduna."

Elsa stared in disbelief, blinked, and opened her mouth to speak but found she had no words.

"It seems as though we have much to talk about." Sonja said serenely, then gave a nod and turned to walk back toward the center of camp, "Come and join me for tea. Your companion is welcome too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My talented friend [Rennie](http://twitter.com/WrenStarling) drew a [lovely fanart of Elsa and Honeymaren's dance](http://my-diamond-dust.tumblr.com/post/617964153049628672/rendigo-drew-this-lovely-art-of-elsa-and) from Chapter 5! <3
> 
> Much love to [buttons](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/buttons15), [lazy_universes](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/lazy_universes), [Lexathorn](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/Lexathorn), and Skye for beta'ing the first half of this chapter when it was still hot garbage (along with its many subsequent iterations).


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